By Agwanda Saye

The late journalist Noah Imbaya Ndaklu was finally laid to rest at his father’s home in Eshikhuyu Village,Ebukanga Sub-Location,Bunyore Central Location ,Luanda Division in Emuhaya District.

His death news was broken to me by Vihiga County reporter Nahashon Obwonya who work me early that Sunday telling me the devastating news.

“Agwanda,your friend Imbaya is dead” he told me and two hours later I was surprised to his phone ringing only for his wife Beatrice to tell me the same

I never had an opportunity to attend his burial which I would have really wished to but circumstances beyond me would not have allowed.

I will eternally be indebted to the entire “Citizen Weekly” fraternity and the entirely family of “Msakhulu” Nabule if I do not say one or two things about the late “Mwalimu” as he was known.

I knew the late while he was at their Moi Avenue offices and anytime I passed by I would always find him buried in past and current editions of publications “digging” into stories as he usually says.

Imbaya never had a desire for much and he never made unrealistic demands from colleagues, he also was a man who would keep his words and a promise he made with you would be as he said always”itakuwa tu hivyo”

Whenever he was home from the City he would asked me if I would be paying for his”Nya Ugenya or Msamaria Mwema” fare back to the city.

All the “deals” I ever made with him he never failed on his part to complete, whenever he assured you that your request is granted he never reneged on it.

The “few news sources” I ever introduced him with never at no time ever lamented to me that he was neither “a bother nor an irritant”.

To sum it all, Imbaya was a man who to me kept his word in any arrangement you made with me, whether socially or professionally.

He knew the perimeters of “a deal” and never mixed his social issues with “serious news sources” at times the said people I introduced him to would always ask me why he never always communicated with them.

He was born on 5th August 1972 to Mzee Simon Ndakalu Nabule and Mama Roda Ndakalu Nabule of Eshikhuyu Village.

He has left behind a widow Beatrice Auma and three Children,he started his Primary School at Lunga Lunga then Emukhunzulu where he did his KCPE ,he joined Emusire High School and excelled in his KCSE exams then joined Moi University Eldoret where he graduated with a BA degree in Linguistics and Sociology.

Upon graduating ,he was employed as a high school teacher in various secondary Schools such as Emusire, Emabyima, Essabra and lastly Eshibinga before joining “Weekly Citizen” as a sub editor Per excellence,

As his colleagues say he was an intellectual per excellence and his incisive and probing mind and in his transition at such a tender age the family lost a breadwinner.

“His quaint sense of humor will forever etch smiles on the faces of those lucky to have worked or socialized with him” his colleagues at Headlink Publishers Ltd lamented.

He died after short illness at St.Francis Hospital Mortuary